Your Heart's the Only Place I Call Home
by Lunar Resonance
Summary: Royalty AU. Maka's the daughter of Lord Albarn, one of the most important lords in the kingdom, which makes her one of the most eligible ladies in the land. The only problem is she doesn't want to get married. Rated T for now but subject to change.


**A/N:** Hi everyone! This a prompt the wonderful Lueurdelaube gave me. I meant for it to be short and sweet but then the idea sort of took a hold of me. Unfortunately, with all the other stories I'm working on, updates will be far and few in between but they will be long so there's that. The rating's T for now but that might change later on. Anyways, I hope you enjoy reading!

Lunar

* * *

_Four down and one to go, _Maka thought as she glanced out of the carriage window. The small rolling hills that she had spied in the distance when their carriage had turned onto the path were slowly growing larger and larger, proving that they weren't hills at all but mountains.

"Don't slouch, Maka," her mother, Lady Kami, said without looking up from the book she was reading. "And close the window, you're going to get sunburnt."

Maka scowled as she straightened up and closed the window. She looked broodingly at the floor. "Happy now?"

Her mother sighed and snapped shut her book. "No." Maka heard a small thump as her mother laid the book to one side. There was a long pause. Her mother started, "Maka, dear, I know you're not happy with being betrothed-"

"No, I'm not," Maka snapped, finally looking up. "You said, I'd never be forced into marriage and now look where we're heading. To yet another suitor's oversized palace!"

"When you're the heir to one of the biggest territories in the kingdom, sometimes your personal needs come second," her mother snapped back. She took a deep breath, brushing back a stray lock of hair into her neatly arranged bun. "Maka, try to understand that your father, despite his _many_ faults, is trying to give you as much freedom in this as possible. Other fathers would simply choose a suitor for you and be done with it."

"I'm trying to understand," Maka said, swallowing her frustration. "But you had a choice too. You thought you were in love with Papa." She looked away uncomfortably. "And you're not."

Her mother's green eyes, identical to Maka's, gazed intently at her daughter. "No, I am not." Her shoulders, always confidently held back, slumped ever so slightly. But her eyes were fiery bright. "That doesn't mean you have to follow in our footsteps either."

Maka folded her hands in front of her. "I know." She widened her eyes in surprise as her mother got up and crossed the small space of the carriage to sit beside her.

Lady Kami smoothed the fine blonde hairs on Maka's head, like she used to when Maka was a child. "It'll be all right. You have some very nice suitors to choose from."

"But none that I'm in love with," Maka corrected her. "Not that a three day visit could possibly tell me that."

"We still have one more to visit," Lady Kami said soothingly. "Admittedly, we wouldn't have considered them in the first place but considering that they have commercial ties to Drachia, who you know we're on the verge of war with, it would not be bad to make an alliance with them."

Maka tried not to roll her eyes. "I'm not marrying anyone unless they can convince me that I could love them. What is this one's name again?"

"Soul Evans," her mother answered. "Rather unusual first name."

"Unusual isn't bad," Maka replied, looking absently out the window again. She suddenly felt exhausted. Leaning her head against the window, she murmured, "Wake me up when we get there."

* * *

"Maka!"

"Huh?" A hard poke into Maka's shoulder forced her eyes open. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and peered out the window, the sun setting the passing clouds on fire. "Why are we stopped?"

"Because we are here!" her mother hissed, frantically straightening her hair. She smoothed the wrinkles in Maka's emerald dress. "Ready?"

"Not particularly," Maka grumbled. "Let's go anyways."

"Good, good," her mother whispered, a worried look furrowed upon her face. "Your father's carriage got delayed so we will have to spend this first night alone. We will simply have to hope his tardiness doesn't reflect too badly upon us. Now let us go."

Maka bobbed her head once, hoping she appeared concerned.

"Don't forget to smile," her mother said as she followed her own advice and erased her worried look as the door opened, replacing it with a gracious smile. She ushered Maka out first.

"Lady Maka, a pleasure to finally meet you." A tall young man stood waiting, hand extended to help Maka out of the carriage. He must be Soul, Maka assumed. He had silvery blonde hair and wore a wide smile.

"Just Maka," she said, taking his hand and smiling back. She had to admit he was not only handsome but charming. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Soul."

"Soul?" the man said confusedly. Then he laughed rather nervously. "My apologies, I should have introduced myself. I am Wes, his older brother. And this is my wife, Liz."

A tall blonde woman in a red dress suddenly appeared by Wes' side. She appraised Maka with a quick onceover and apparently approved because she smiled and said, "Welcome."

"Then, um, where's Soul?" Maka asked, blushing hotly.

"Soul is not here?" her mother questioned flatly as she exited the carriage.

Wes smiled sheepishly. "Ah, yes, my brother seems to have momentarily disappeared. I am sure that he is busy preparing to meet you," he said brightly.

Only Maka caught the infinitesimal narrowing of her mother's eyes. However, when Lady Kami spoke, she sounded pleasant as ever. "It is perfectly fine. In the meantime, why don't we tour this lovely castle?"

"Allow me," Wes said, offering Kami his arm as Liz fell into step with Maka.

"He's not really getting ready, is he," Maka stated, looking at Liz.

Liz whispered conspiratorially in Maka's ear. "Soul just really hates first meetings. Don't let it get to you."

"Hmmph." Maka said.

* * *

Lord and Lady Evans were waiting in the front hall when the group came in. They stood in front of a grand spiraling staircase, dressed in their grandest attire. It would have intimidated Maka at any other time but she was feeling too annoyed to be scared.

She stood by her mother's side as they exchanged pleasantries, more interested in studying the rather serious looking boy who stood beside him. He appeared a couple years younger than Wes and wore a black pinstriped suit, which stood out against his snowy hair. His red eyes, a deep rich color, were exactly like Wes' eyes.

A beat too late, Maka registered the silence that had descended upon the hall.

Her mother nudged her. "Maka, dear, introduce yourself."

Maka blushed. "You just did, Mother."

The chortle that came from Soul seemed to surprise himself as much as Maka."

"Soul, why don't you escort Maka to our dining hall for dinner?" Lady Evans said smoothly.

The faint smile Soul had been wearing vanished. "Yes, Mother."

He stepped forward and offered Maka his arm.

Maka cringed as she took it, trying to figure out how to touch Soul without actually touching him.

He was as silent as the dead as they walked down the hall.

Maka decided to try to talk with him one time. "Hello."

"Hi."

And that was all she got out of him the whole entire night, despite the fact they sat next each other during dinner.

* * *

The next morning, Maka rose before the sun came across the horizon, wanting to get a good look around the Evans' grounds. Exploring the country had been the only good thing about her parents' insistence that she go on this mad hunt to find a husband.

She dressed simply, in what her mother would have called "common wear" but thankfully for Maka, her mother was a heavy sleeper.

She crept quietly down the hall to the staircase that led to the front hall. Yesterday she hadn't gotten the chance to properly take it in but today she examined it thoroughly.

It was all marble, white shot with silver. The stair rails called to her beckoningly, inviting her to slide down them, like she did at home when no one else could see.

Maka carefully looked around. There was no one here but her. Quickly she hitched her dress up and practically jumped on the rail.

She whipped down the stairs in a flash, holding back a delighted yell. She landed neatly on her feet at the bottom. Maka relished in the giddy feeling rushing through her body. The ride was over too fast for her taste.

She only hesitated for a moment before heading back up the staircase, taking two stairs at a time. She was just about to push herself down again when an amused voice stopped her.

"What are you doing?"

Maka yelped as Soul stepped from the shadows, nearly toppling off the staircase. He moved quickly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back.

He steadied her before releasing her.

Maka glared at him. "Why were you spying on me?"

"Why were you sliding down the staircase?" he asked, grinning.

"You were watching me this whole time?!" Maka whisper-shouted, flushing as she remembered how high she had to hitch her dress. "Pervert!"

Soul raised his eyebrows. "This is my home. I was just heading out when I heard someone up ahead."

"So you decided it was better observe from the shadows than introduce yourself?" Maka said flatly, crossing her arms.

"I didn't want to appear creepy," he said, shrugging.

"And you weren't being creepy just now?" Maka said sarcastically.

Soul shrugged agan and walked past her.

Maka opened her mouth, offended, when he took a spot on the stair rail himself.

She stopped, mid-sentence.

"You coming?" Soul asked. He paused before tacking on, "I'll catch you at the bottom."

Maka dithered for a moment before she silently walked to where Soul sat. "After you," she mumbled.

Soul flew down with an ease that made Maka certain that he had slid down these stairs hundreds of times. She followed quickly, reveling in how sliding down made her feel like she was flying.

He caught her easily and set Maka on her feet gently. Unlike the last time, however, he didn't immediately let her go.

Maka felt her face burning again as he looked at her, a look she couldn't quite describe on his face. Her stomach gave a nervous flutter that had nothing to do with the ride she just had.

"Fun, wasn't it?" he asked softly, finally letting her go.

Maka smiled up at Soul. "Yes, it was."


End file.
